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Saturday, May 1, 2010

Welcome to Debi's Place; I'd like to introduce you to the Ride 2 Recovery!

Welcome to my new place in cyberspace. My name is Deborah Palmer, AKA "Debi." I set this blog up to talk about my training and fundraising for the Ride 2 Recovery (R2R) Golden State Challenge and other matters I'm passionate about.

Initially, I was going to name my blog "Fat Chick," but I figured it was too close to the names of two blogs I recently started following: Fat Cyclist and Fit Chick. Oh, but so apropos would that blog title be considering I found most of the 23 lbs I lost after I started riding my bike last summer. I lost the weight riding without dieting and gained weight back because I wasn't riding. I knew better.

Update on my training:

Due to inclement weather and an arthroscopic knee surgery for a torn meniscus, I rode my bike very little during the holidays and only 11 times since March 15th.

On Saturday, April 3rd, I rode 31.5 miles with two riding buddies over the Golden Gate Bridge to the Larkspur Ferry. My knee fared well, but the time off the bike affected me physically because I didn't have the strength and stamina I had in November. The evening of April 5th, I rode about 14 miles with my riding buddy I affectionately refer to as "my Trainer." Within an hour returning from that ride I was freezing to the bone and later that night I realized I had a fever.

I was off my bike most of the month of April because that horrible cold lingered; it's a challenge to ride when your nose is running and you can't catch up with it and your lungs are filled with phlegm. Kinda' makes it difficult to breathe. It's also very distracting and not very lady-like wiping your nose with your clothes and spittin' out yucky stuff while riding.

To see more videos about the R2R Program, go to You Tube and do a search using the words "Ride 2 Recovery" or "RoadtwoRecovery."

From the Ride 2 Recovery home page, there is a link to a blog titled,No Arms, No Legs…No Problem. It's a must read to give you an idea of what the Ride 2 Recovery Program is doing for our injured veterans. If it doesn't give you warm, fuzzy feelings about this program, I don't know what will.

You can subscribe to their mailing list (top, right of the R2R home page) and receive the blogs/newsletters they send out every day during the R2R rides. Be sure to check out the Press page on the R2R web site, too.

I trust you will find the aforementioned information touching and inspirational. I hope it will motivate you to make a donation to this worthwhile program.

Fundraising:

In order to participate in the R2R, participants have to raise a minimum of $3,200; however, $15,000 is the goal. I will be working with another person to raise the $15,000 and we need all the help we can get.

I will be raising funds with Matthew Harris, a PhD candidate specializing in neuro-psychology. Matthew is the son of a military pilot who died in a plane crash and his brother is currently serving in the military.

To raise $15,000, Matthew and I need to recruit 300 people and/or entities to raise a minimum of $50.00.

Will you support America's injured military by sponsoring me [First name: Deborah, Last name: Palmer] and make a minimum $5.00 online donation or send a check or money order to the address here?

Will you connect everyone in your online address book to this blog? Will you print out the flyer hereand share it with your community? Will you recruit at least 9 people to make at least a $5.00 donation and ask them them to recruit their family, friends, colleagues and co-workers to donate and raise funds for this awesome program.

I thank you for your consideration in helping Matthew and I raise funds for this worthy cause.

Thanks Rhino, It's wonderful to see how Vietnam vets are reaching out to volunteer and ride. I love the mission of VetsConnect at: http://www.VetsConnect.org. Their mission is to "stand together with today's veterans and support the needs of all veterans of the Global War on Terrorism."

Their motto is "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another."

From a noncombat veteran to a Vietnam vet. Thank you for your service.

I'm also honored that the first donation to sponsor me (and Matthew) was from a Vietnam vet.

Please spread the word about the R2R program and tell them Matthew and I have a goal to raise $15,000 and we need all the help we can get.

Since I first heard about the ride 2 recovery, I've wanted to participate. I'm interested for a number of reasons. My father was a NAVY pilot who died while flying a plane in the NAVY reserves, so the armed forces are an important part of my family. My brother is also in the military right now. In the future, I plan on working with veterans as a neuropsychologist. Overall, I think it is a great cause.As an added bonus, I LOVE cycling and ride my bike all over San Francisco, so this is the perfect event for me. I hope we can raise enough money to participate!

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The picture on this blog was taken by1-888-Scan-Vanfor the 2010 R2R Golden State Challenge. Due to Blogger requirements, you cannot see the hand cyclist, one of America's injured vetetans. Gohereand scroll down to see the picture in its entirety.